Almond Crusted Chicken with a Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

Almonds have to be one of the easiest snacks you can have to satisfy hunger in a pinch.  They are loaded with good fats that keep you full longer and bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system.  We always have almonds around the house.  Last week Chris went to Costco and bought them in bulk.  He also bought several pounds of chicken breast and strawberries.  I threw together all of these ingredients and ended up with a surprisingly wonderful dinner!

The combination of the crunchy almond crust combined with a savory strawberry sauce is definitely a winner.  The hint of balsamic vinegar adds a nice extra layer of flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup of Almonds
1 Egg White
1 cup of Fresh Strawberries, rinsed and stems removed
1 tbsp of Sugar
1 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp of Corn Starch
1/8 cup of Chicken Broth (potentially more if sauce requires)
1 tbsp of Fresh Rosemary finely chopped (2 sprigs of fresh rosemary)

Method

Preheat the over to 350.  In a food processor, process almonds for 1-2 minutes to a chunky bread crumb consistency.  Set aside.

Lightly pound chicken breast into 1/2" - 1" pieces.  The easiest way to do this is to cover the chicken breast with saran wrap using the smooth side of a kitchen mallet.

Dip chicken into a bowl containing the egg white, followed by dipping the chicken into the almond mixture.  Coat each chicken breast with almond crumbs on each side.  Place is a glass baking dish. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes until chicken is browned and tender.

For the strawberry sauce, combine the strawberries, sugar, and balsamic in a food processor.  Place strawberry mixture in a stove top pan and add chicken broth, cornstarch and rosemary.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Top tender chicken breasts with the strawberry balsamic sauce and garnish with extra fresh rosemary.  Bon Appetit!

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